The Book

The People of Cascadia is a highly visual and comprehensive historical glimpse into the daily lifeways of four major cultural language groups of the Pacific Northwest: the Coast Salish, Wakashan, Chinookan and Sahaptin which encompass hundreds of tribes. Cascadia refers to a geographic region which includes the Pacific Northwest and the Columbia Plateau encompassing portions of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska, with a focus on the Washington State area.

It was written and illustrated for all ages, from elementary to college level students and for anyone interested in learning more about the people who lived in this region for at least five hundred generations before the first European schooners arrived in the late 1700’s. It complements the ‘Since Time Immemorial’ Washington State curriculum and is designed to easily incorporate into social studies curricula throughout the region.

There are over 350 drawings, historical paintings, maps and photographs with associated text, organized into cultural themes common to the major groups such as housing, hunting, fishing, gathering, clothing, music and trade, and then further divided into four major cultural groups from east and west of the Cascade Mountains, north to British Columbia and south into Oregon, speaking to each of their unique elements with maps locating village sites, drawings specific to each of these groups of their housing, clothing, artwork, tools and more. Additional insights are offered through legends and stories, journal notes from Lewis & Clark and Vancouver expeditions and early settlers journals as primary source materials for student research.

Originally funded by a King County 4Culture Grant, it was published in 2009 after a nine-year development and review process involving tribal cultural experts, field tested in schools at elementary and middle school level, and closely reviewed by archeologists and cultural specialists. It is currently in its 14th printing with over 12,000 books currently in use by schools, colleges, tribes, and individuals of all ages.

Durable, laminated heavy softcover, 175 pages with over 300 illustrations and color photos by the author, historic drawings and photographs; maps and charts; legends and journal notes; plant lists, and an index geared for students research projects.